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In this video from a recent CBT workshop at the Beck Institute, Dr. Aaron Beck discusses CBT for suicidal ideation. Dr. Beck references the suicide intent scale which is used to determine an individual’s level of suicidality. Dr. Beck explains that suicidal patients typically experience high levels of hopelessness. It is key to address and decrease hopelessness to reduce suicidality.

For more information on Beck Institute’s CBT for Depression and Suicidality Workshop, visit our website.

Emily Becker-Weidman, a former staff member of Beck Institute, left us in 2004 to pursue her doctorate in Psychology at Northwestern University. She has recently published her first article, and we’re proud of her!

In their study, Becker-Weidman, Reinecke, Jacobs, and Martinovich (2009), examined predictors of hopelessness among 439 clinically depressed adolescents. Using multiple regression and logistic regression analyses, the authors found hopelessness to be correlated with greater severity of depression, poor problem-solving, cognitive distortions, and familial conflict. The greatest predictors of hopelessness that emerged among the sample included (1) view of oneself, (2) view of the world, (3) an internal attributional style, (4) need for social approval, (5) a positive problem-solving orientation, and (6) family problems. The authors concluded that cognitive and familial factors are predictors of hopelessness in clinically depressed youth.